The invention is concerned with a method of and an apparatus for burning liquid and/or solid fuels in accordance with the preambles of patent claims 1 and 7, respectively.
Over the years the most varied proposals have been made for burning both liquid fuels such as oil or the like and solid fuels, especially coal, peat or the like in pulverized form, the latter being mostly introduced into a combustion chamber in admixture with a carrier liquid such as water and/or oil to form an emulsion. Introduction of the fuels into the combustion chamber normally takes place while creating a recirculating flow profile, the latter being confined by a rotating outer flow or air. In practice, combustion of a suspension of pulverized coal in liquid has proven to be relatively difficult; the main problem resides in preventing clogging of the fuel inlet ports or burner nozzles opening into the combustion chamber. Also, the combustion efficiency has been limited. To overcome these problems, the DD-PS No. 145,316 proposes a burner which is a combination of a so-called rotational burner and a toroidal burner. However, tests have shown that only relatively low efficiencies can be achieved with this burner, above all during the critical starting phase. The reason probably is that atomization of the fuels is insufficient so that problems of ignition will arise especially during the starting phase. Also, enrichment or mixing of the fuels with air is insufficient, whereby the efficiency is likewise reduced. Proceeding from the above-specified prior art it is the object of the instant invention to provide a method of and an apparatus for burning liquid and/or solid fuels in pulverized form, in which practically complete combustion can be achieved with simple structural means, wherein highly efficient combustion can also be maintained when solid fuels in dry state are supplied.